Sewage distributor



Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,488

- J. w. HA'JRTLEY SEWAGE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Aug. 27. 1926 2 sheets-Sheet l Feb. 28, 1928.

1,660,488 J. w. HARTLEY SEWAGE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Aug-27. 1926 2 Sh'eets-Sheet 2 38 [mus/W04 distributing arm, that Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATE N 'C JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, OE STONE, ENGLAND.

SEWAGE DTSTRIBUTOR.

Application fil'ed'August 27, 1926, Serial No. 132,010, and in Great Britain August 29, 1925.

I This invention relates to an improved r0 tary apparatus for distributmg sewage upon circular filter beds, and consists in an apparatus substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated and as claimed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a s1de elevation of the apparatus, the bed and surrounding wall being shown in-section, and broken away at the bottom.

.Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to F igure 1 only part of the bed and surrounding well being shown.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the spraying nozzles.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevations of the water wheel, showing the driving jet of sewage under different heads, and means for directing the jet on to the wheel at certain heads. a

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are respectivel an elevation, plan and end elevation of t e water wheel, and parts connected therewith.

Figures 9 and 10 are a'plan and end elevation respectively of the water wheel and one means for transmitting power therefrom to the runner wheels by which the apparatus is driven.

Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of one. form of central supporting column for the apparatus. Y

Referring supporting column to which the sewage to be distributed is supplied. The sewage rises up this central column 1 and passes thence a ong two tubular or pipe arms 2 and 3 which extend one from each sideof the central column, and are in alignment. 'The arm 2 only is formed as a sprayed jet is to say it is provided in the side with a series of holes fitted with nozzles. 4 carrying spreading plates 5', the nozzles 4 having cleaning openings 6 closed by removable stoppers or corks 7. Thepipe arm 2 carries at its outer' end a weight 8 which balances the weight of a water wheel 9 arranged at the outer end of the other arm 3. The sewage supplied through the column 1 to the arm 3 passes thence to the water wheel 9. The sewage is discharged from the arm 3 on to the water wheel 9 through noz- Y zles 10 in the form of spouts or jets 11 (Figures 4 and ,5). The jets 11 rise to greater or less heights according to the headof sewtothe drawings 1 is a central when the head of sewage is comparatively great, a curved deflecting plate 12 is provided. Thus under the greater heads of sewage the jet 11 strikes the curved deflecting plate 12 at a point 13 as shown in Figure 4 whence it is deflected into the upper buckets 14 of the water wheel 9 by way of cross vanes 15. The sewage jets 16, 17'produced at lower heads (Figure 5) are guided into the buckets 14 of the wheel 9 by cross vanes 18. At the lowest head, the jet passes directly over the lip orflange 19' into the buckets 14 of the water wheel 9 The cross vanes 15 and 18 are supported from the flanged sides 20 of the deflecting plate 12. By providing an inspection opening 21 in the plate 12 the sewage jets may be viewed through the opening. The sewage falls from the water wheel 9 directly upon the bed 22. The wheel 9 needs therefore to be clear of the bed 22 only by the necessary minimum clearance so that a very small head of sewage delivered at 23 into the lower buckets 14 of the water wheel 9 will rotate it.

The distributing arm 2 may be, if desired, shorter than the arm 3 by an amount corresponding to the width of the water wheel. The water wheel 9 is utilized to rotate the apparatus as hereinafter described.

Any suitable means are provided to, ensure As shown these means embody a fence or" I weir 24 in the central column 1. The same object may, however, be readily attained bymaking the delivery outlet to the distributing pipe 2 at a higher level than that of the pipe 3.

Sewage" is discharged atsuitable intervals from the pipe arm 2 in the form of spraye jets produced b the spraying nozzles 4, pro.- vided with re ector or spreading plates 5, disposed at suitable distances apart along the pipe, the jets being with advantage of comparatively large cross section.

These jets extend and distribute sewage over the bed'22 from a point 26 near the distributing apparatus.

centre to a point 27 near the periphery. The

water wheel 9 distributes sewage over the 3 by any suitable support andis fixed in position on the arm 3 as illustrated. The axis of theshaft 29 is radial to the central column and a runner or motor wheel 32 is fixed upon said shaft 29.

The runner or motor wheel 32 is made of any suitable sizeor width according to the nature of the track 33 available. The wheel 32 may be of cast iron with a vulcanized rubber tyre oragrooved wheel with an air inflated tyre, or iron, steel, or the likefas Wlll be readily understood by those skilled in the artand therefore not requiring illustration. It is preferred to employ a vulcanized rubber tyred motor or runner wheel when the invention is to be applied to existing distributing. apparatus. wheel 32 travels along the outer circular wall 33 (Figures 1 and 2) which almost invariably encloses and surrounds the bed 22 of existing distributors, or may be built up of brick, stone, concrete or the like partially embedded in the media as near to the periphery of the bed H as possible or convenient.

Figures 9 and 10 indicate one mode ofrotating the distributor when the surrounding wall 33 is considerably raised above the surfaceofthe bed 22.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that on the shaft 29 1s keyed a sprocket the central column. With 0 11 -wheel 34, which, by means of a chain 35,

drives asprocket wheel 36 on the shaft 37 of the motor or runner wheel 32.

The motor or runner wheel 32 is mounted 'in suitable bearings on supporting stands 38 carried by the frame 39, and bearson the wall 33. The water wheel 9 thus drives the distributor, from its lower level, the motor wheel 32 travelling on the to of the raised outer wall 33. As the distri utor is propelled by the water wheel .32'fromthe arm 3 any known form of dashplate or nozzle may be used for s reading the jets of sewage as the leave t e distributingiarm 2.. As the bull; of the sewage is discharged from only one distributing pipe arm proper, namely, the arm 2 the jets may be much larger and fewer in number thanit is now possible to use without sacrificing efliciency, on any existing pipe arm distributor where the weight is wholly or in part borne upon one distributing arm proper one arm on y requires to be cleaned and this also with less frequency The motor tubes 40 and 41 b as the nozzles for the issuing jets are ofmuch greater area than those of existing distributors. p

Substantially the whole weight of the arms 2 and 3 may be supported together with the balance weight 8 and the water wheel 9 upon the central columnl by the usual wire rope stays as shown in Figure l the water wheel 9 being made heavier than the balance weight by an amount suflicient to ensure that the wheel 32 bears upon the wall 33 with only so much weight as is necessary to enable the wheel 32 to rotate the distributor by its friction upon wall 33. The wear of the wheel 32 is thus reduced. I

Referring now to Figure 11, which is a sectional elevation of a suitable form of central column, it will be seen that this column embodles an inner fixed tube 40 and a surrounding outer rotary casing 41 provided with flanged branches 42 for attachment of the pipe arms 2 and 3.

- The inner tube 40 is provided with ports or openings 43 through which the sewage rising in the tube 40 .passes to the outer casing 41 for delivery, by way of the branches 42, to the pipe arms 2 and 3, the fence 24 being provided on the apparatus to ensure delivery of the sewage to the pi e arm 3 before delivery to pipe arm 2 for t e purpose previously set forth. I

In order to enable the sewage to be retained in the space 44 between the tube 40 ztate attachment of the flexible tube 45 thereto. By thus making a close fitbetween the means of the sleeve 46 the sewage is retaine in the space 44.

Alternatively a stuffing box now in general use may be employed as will readily be appreciated by those skilled in the art without requiring illustration. The sleeve .is however preferred in that it is free from the objection incidental to such stufiing boxes 1 namely that-the packing of a stufling box when injudiciously screwed up, wears and dama esthe central fixed tube 40.

7 Alt ough a water wheel has been referred to throu bout the specification, this ma be replaceddiy a water turbine if preferre 1. In a rotary pipe arm sewage distributor a sewage-driven water wheel for rotating the pipe arms, a nozzle through which the sewage utilized to actuate said water wheel issues in the form of a jet, substantially tangential to said water wheel and a deflector for directing said sewage jet on to said water wheel when the sewa e for actuatin said water wheel is supplie under greater eads, whereby the distributor is capable of eflective operation under varying pressure heads.

2. In a rotary pipe arm sewage distributor,

a sewage-driven water wheel composed of a series of vaned wheels on acommon shaft, nozzles through which the sewage utilized to actuate said water wheel is constrained to issue in the form of jets, substantiall tangential to said vaned wheels and de ectors for directing said sewage jets on to said vaned wheels when the sewage for actuating said vaned wheels is supplied under heads no ing said jets.

of a higher order, said deflectors being provided with inspection windows for inspect- -3. Apparatus for distributing sewage over a circular filter bed, comprismg a central supporting column, a pair of oppositely arranged hollow radial arms supported mainly by said column, one of said arms bein fitted at its outer end with a water-wheel istributor having a driving wheel engaging with a circular track surrounding said bed, the other of said arms having nozzles and s readingumeans andadapted to balance su stantia whegl distributor whereby only suflicient weight need come on the track to insure eflicient driving, said central column being adapted to supplysewage to said arms for the distribution y the nozzles of. the one and by the water-wheel distributor of the other.

"In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN WlLLIAM HARTLEY.

the first mentioned arm and water 

